Shower door saddle

ABSTRACT

A shower door saddle is formed from a length of extruded tubular stock material cut to a predetermined length. The saddle is generally rectangular in vertical cross section and has a pair of integral nailing strips formed continuously along its length and projecting laterally from its base. The interior of the saddle is reinforced by an integrally formed cruciform reinforcing member extending the length of the saddle. The exterior surfaces of the side walls and top of the saddle are provided with alternating longitudinal grooves and ribs which provide a mechanical interlock with adhesive material applied to the exterior surfaces for adhering ceramic tiles or the like to the side walls and top of the saddle. The saddle is fastened to the underlaying floor at the foot of a door opening provided in a shower stall by nails driven through apertures in the nailing strips into the floor beneath the shower stall. Adhesive material such as plaster is applied over the exterior surfaces of the side walls and top of the saddle and tiles are applied to the adhesive to cover the saddle with a tile surface.

United States Patent DAmato SHOWER DOOR SADDLE [76] Inventor: Nicholas J. DAmato, 2840 Braidwood, Richmond, Va. 23225 [22] Filed: Mar. 15, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 451,385

Primary Examiner-Leondard D. Christian [57] ABSTRACT A shower door saddle is formed from a length of ex- 1 1 Mar. 11, 1975 truded tubular stock material cut to a predetermined length. The saddle is generally rectangular in vertical cross section and has a pair of integral nailing strips formed continuously along its length and projecting laterally from its base. The interior of the saddle is reinforced by an integrally formed cruciform reinforcing member extending the length of the saddle. The exterior surfaces of the side walls and top of the saddle are provided with alternating longitudinal grooves and ribs which provide a mechanical interlock with adhesive material applied to the exterior surfaces for adhering ceramic tiles or the like to the side walls and top of the saddle. The saddle is fastened to the underlaying floor at the foot of a door opening provided in a shower stall by nails driven through apertures in the nailing strips into the floor beneath the shower stall. Adhesive material such as plaster is applied over the exterior surfaces of the side walls and top of the saddle and tiles are applied to the adhesive to cover the saddle with a tile surface.

8 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTED 1 I975 SHEET 1 2 SHOWER DOOR SADDLE This invention relates to a tubular shower door saddle which provides the sill at the foot of a door opening in a shower stall to which is applied an exterior tile surface of ceramic tiles or the like adhered to the saddle by suitable tile setting material.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In building custom made shower stalls in a building it has been the usual practice to build a closet in a corner or along a wall of a room witha door opening facing out into the room. A shower stall is provided with a floor and a drain through the floor, and the interior of the shower stall is lined with ceramic tile or the like to provide a waterproof surface. A door saddle, which in the past has usually been made of wood, is com- I monly nailed across the foot of the door opening to provide a dam to keep water in the shower stall and to provide a sill for a hinged or otherwise mounted door in the door opening. The wooden saddle has usually been coated with tile setting cement, and tiles have been applied to cover the saddle and provide a water resistant surface covering. One disadvantage of the wooden saddle has been that moisture often seeps through the tile covering the saddle, and over a period of time causes the wooden saddle to rot.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a shower door saddle which is made of metal or other rigid material which is not subject to rot and which can be cut to a desired length from a strip of extruded tubular stock of longer length.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a tubular shower door saddle of generally rectangular vertical cross section which has alternating longitudinal ribs and grooves in the exterior surfaces of the side walls and topwall of the saddle and which has laterally projecting nailing strips provided on opposite sides of the base of the saddle for fastening the saddle to an underlying surface.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS With the foregoing objects and features in view and such other objects and features which may become apparent as this specification proceeds the invention will be understood from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings, wherein like characters of reference designate like parts and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a shower stall in which the invention is installed and showing a portion of the tile covering of the door saddle broken away to expose the saddle to view;

FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the tubular shower door saddle installed and provided with a tile covering;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a length of tubular stock material from which a tubular shower door saddle of a selected length is cut.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail and particularly to FIG. I the tubular shower door saddle of this invention is shown installed at the foot of the door opening 11 of a shower stall 12. Within the vdoor opening 11 is mounted adoor 13 having a peripheral frame 14 closely fitted within the opening, and a glass panel 15 held within the frame 14. The door 13 is further provided with a handle 16 for opening and closing the door. The saddle 10 extends across the foot of the door opening 11 and is secured to the floor l7 underlying the shower stall by nails 18 driven into the floor through spaced apertures 19a in the nailing strips 19 formed integrally with the saddle on opposite sides thereof as lateral projections from the base 21 of the saddle. The shower stall 12 is shown covered with tiles 20 which also cover the saddle.

Looking at FIG. 2 a typical vertical cross-sectional view taken through the installed shower door saddle is seen. The tubular saddle 10 is of generally rectangular cross section having a base 21, vertical side walls 22 and 23 and a top wall 24. The interior of the saddle is provided with an integral cruciform reinforcing mem ber 25 having intersecting vertical and horizontal web portions 26 and 27 respectively which extend the length of the saddle and divide the interior of the saddle into four symetrically arranged longitudinal cavities 28, 29, 30 and 31. The exterior surfaces of the side walls 22 and 23 and of the top wall 24 are provided with alternating ribs 32 and grooves 33 which extendlongitudinally along the length of saddle. The ribs and grooves provide mechanically interlocking means for holding a tile setting adhesive 34 firmly on the exterior of the side walls 22, 23 and top wall 24; Tiles 20 are firmly held by the adhesive 34 to provide an external covering for the saddle l0 and suitable grout 35 is providedbetween the individual tilesto provide a water resistant seal.

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view ofa length of tubular stock material from which a shower door saddle of a selected length is cut. It is intended that certain stock lengths of the tubular stock will be suppliedto abuilder from whichhe may cut a saddle of a selected length as required tomeet the custom requirement ofthe shower stall whichhe is building. However, saddles of specific stock lengths forthe average shower stalls may be provided by the manufacturer.

The tubular shower door saddles of this invention are preferably made of extrudable materials such as aluminum and other lightweight corrosion resistant metals, and extrudable synthetic resinous materials which are capable of forming a rigid shape retaining structure.

A floor covering 36 of tile, linoleum, etc., is provided over the floor 17. The edges of the covering 36 abutting the saddle 10 are undercut to provide longitudinal recesses. 37 into which the nailing strips 19 extend. The surface of the covering 36 thus fits flush over the nailing strips and abutts the side walls 22 and 23 of the saddle as seen in FIG. 2.

What is claimed is:

l. A shower door saddle for providing a raised dam at the foot of a door opening of a shower stall and for retaining a tile covering comprising an elongated tubular member of a predetermined length sufficient to close the foot of a door opening in a shower stall, said tubular member having a flat base, a pair of parallel side walls perpendicular to said base and a top wall parallel to said base, said side walls being spaced apart and integrally joining said base and top wall, and a pair of integral longitudinal nailing strips extending perpendicular to and laterally outwardly of said side walls adjacent said base, said side walls and top wall having alternating, parallel longitudinal ribs and grooves formed in the exterior surfaces thereof to provide mechanically interlocking means for retaining tile setting adhesive applied to the exterior surfaces of the top wall and side walls.

2. The shower door saddle according to claim 1 wherein said tubular member includes an integrally formed cruciform reinforcing member.

3. The shower door saddle according to claim 2 wherein said cruciform reinforcing member includes a vertical web which is perpendicular to said base and top wall and intersects said base and top wall at the midpoint thereof, and a horizontal web which is perpendicular to said side walls and intersects said side walls at the midpoint thereof.

4. The shower door saddle according to claim 1 wherein said tubular member is cut from a length of extruded tubular stock.

5. The combination comprising a shower stall mounted on a floor, a door opening in said shower stall, a door saddle fastened to the floor beneath said door opening, said door saddle comprising a tubular elongated member having a flat base, a pair of parallel side walls perpendicular to said base and a top wall parallel to said base, said side walls being spaced apart and integrally joining said base and top wall, and a pair of integral longitudinal nailing strips extending perpendicular to and laterally outwardly of said side walls adjacent to said base, said side walls and top walls having alternating, parallel, longitudinal ribs and grooves formed in the exterior surfaces thereof, adhesive means covering said top and side walls and filling said grooves for bonding tiles to said top and side walls, tiles covering said saddle and retained thereon by said adhesive means, said nailing strip having spaced apertures therein, and nails driven through said apertures into said floor for fastening said saddle to said floor.

6. The combination according to claim 5 wherein said tubular member includes an integrally formed cruciform reinforcing member.

7. The combination according to claim 6 wherein said cruciform reinforcing member includes a vertical web which is perpendicular to said base and top wall and intersects said base and top wall at the midpoint thereof, and a horizontal web which is perpendicular to said side walls and intersects said side walls at the midpoint thereof.

8. The combination according to claim 5 wherein said tubular member is cut from a length of extruded tubular stock material. 

1. A shower door saddle for providing a raised dam at the foot of a door opening of a shower stall and for retaining a tile covering comprising an elongated tubular member of a predetermined length sufficient to close the foot of a door opening in a shower stall, said tubular member having a flat base, a pair of parallel side walls perpendicular to said base and a top wall parallel to said base, said side walls being spaced apart and integrally joining said base and top wall, and a pair of integral longitudinal nailing strips extending perpEndicular to and laterally outwardly of said side walls adjacent said base, said side walls and top wall having alternating, parallel longitudinal ribs and grooves formed in the exterior surfaces thereof to provide mechanically interlocking means for retaining tile setting adhesive applied to the exterior surfaces of the top wall and side walls.
 1. A shower door saddle for providing a raised dam at the foot of a door opening of a shower stall and for retaining a tile covering comprising an elongated tubular member of a predetermined length sufficient to close the foot of a door opening in a shower stall, said tubular member having a flat base, a pair of parallel side walls perpendicular to said base and a top wall parallel to said base, said side walls being spaced apart and integrally joining said base and top wall, and a pair of integral longitudinal nailing strips extending perpEndicular to and laterally outwardly of said side walls adjacent said base, said side walls and top wall having alternating, parallel longitudinal ribs and grooves formed in the exterior surfaces thereof to provide mechanically interlocking means for retaining tile setting adhesive applied to the exterior surfaces of the top wall and side walls.
 2. The shower door saddle according to claim 1 wherein said tubular member includes an integrally formed cruciform reinforcing member.
 3. The shower door saddle according to claim 2 wherein said cruciform reinforcing member includes a vertical web which is perpendicular to said base and top wall and intersects said base and top wall at the midpoint thereof, and a horizontal web which is perpendicular to said side walls and intersects said side walls at the midpoint thereof.
 4. The shower door saddle according to claim 1 wherein said tubular member is cut from a length of extruded tubular stock.
 5. The combination comprising a shower stall mounted on a floor, a door opening in said shower stall, a door saddle fastened to the floor beneath said door opening, said door saddle comprising a tubular elongated member having a flat base, a pair of parallel side walls perpendicular to said base and a top wall parallel to said base, said side walls being spaced apart and integrally joining said base and top wall, and a pair of integral longitudinal nailing strips extending perpendicular to and laterally outwardly of said side walls adjacent to said base, said side walls and top walls having alternating, parallel, longitudinal ribs and grooves formed in the exterior surfaces thereof, adhesive means covering said top and side walls and filling said grooves for bonding tiles to said top and side walls, tiles covering said saddle and retained thereon by said adhesive means, said nailing strip having spaced apertures therein, and nails driven through said apertures into said floor for fastening said saddle to said floor.
 6. The combination according to claim 5 wherein said tubular member includes an integrally formed cruciform reinforcing member.
 7. The combination according to claim 6 wherein said cruciform reinforcing member includes a vertical web which is perpendicular to said base and top wall and intersects said base and top wall at the midpoint thereof, and a horizontal web which is perpendicular to said side walls and intersects said side walls at the midpoint thereof. 